The Texas Senate approved a bill that would give local and state police the authority to arrest immigrants who are in the country illegally.
Senate Bill 11, authored by Republican state Sen. Brian Birdwell, would make it a state crime to illegally cross the Texas border into the United States, and it would allow law enforcement to arrest those who violate the law. (pdf) Under current Texas law, state and local authorities are required to seek federal permission before arresting illegal immigrants.
